Mark Harmon has been the cornerstone of CBS’s police procedural drama “NCIS” that also featured Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, and more since it premiered in September 2003. His character, Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, is in command of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service team.
Due to his thinner appearance during season 14, the 66-year-old actor has been rumored to be leaving the show. He has reportedly been advised by his doctors to get more rest. However, the first two still photos of the show’s upcoming installment suggest that he is certainly in shape, and leaving the show would be the last thing he might do.
Harmon is not going anywhere
Men’s Fitness recently sat down with Mark Harmon to discuss his lifestyle, habits, and his acting career. When asked how much fitness means to him these days, the actor said that he tries to eat healthy and get a rest as much as possible, although he no longer does the things he did 40 years ago.
During his college days, he was a quarterback for the UCLA Bruins where he received the National Football Foundation Award. Apparently, being athletic in his early days helped him a lot to succeed in his portrayal of a law enforcer in “NCIS.”
He exercises to stay in shape
Mark Harmon also revealed that when he had a shoulder injury, his physical therapist advised him to do Pilates.
"I used to do 60 to 70-mile weeks every week. I wish I had some of that back now. [Pilates] is all about controlling the machine, and that's twice as hard," he said. Additionally, he said that he also likes carpentry.
“I still enjoy [it], but I think that's probably what I would have been trying to do had I not been [acting],” he added.
In “NCIS,” his carpentry skills were also featured by building boats in his basement when his hands are not full at work.
Why does he want to stay in the show?
Maria Bello, who will join “NCIS” as Jackie Sloane, recently appeared on “The Talk” with Mark Harmon, which was their first time together in an interview. The actor shared a touching story about his hero father who served as a military pilot in the U.S.
Air Force. He revealed that his dad, Tom, who was also a football star, was shot down on two different occasions during low-key missions. His father was a survivor of the crash of the fighter aircraft that he piloted and saved his parachute, which was later used by his grandmother to make a wedding dress for the actor’s mother.
Apparently, Mark Harmon was inspired by his father and wants to stay in the show to continue the legacy and honor that his dad did in serving the country. Given his military background, it’s not impossible that he loves what he’s been doing on the show. Additionally, he is still under a contract with CBS.
